WEST ALLIS - A woman who describes herself as a former "lunch lady" has racked up seven misdemeanor criminal charges in less than two months, including one that she stole nearly $1,160 worth of computer equipment from the West Allis-West Milwaukee District Office, 1205 S. 70th St.

The public made the arrest possible. After West Allis police asked the public for the identity of the woman on surveillance video, three tips came in, indicating Melissa L. Stevenson, 34, was the woman.

She had formerly worked for Sodexo, which provides the lunch program at the school district. She worked at Franklin Elementary School from September through November 2015, according to the school district.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office charged her with theft Jan. 26. She has not made an initial appearance, but a summons was issued for March 2.

Nine months max

According to the criminal complaint, Stevenson of West Allis allegedly took a document camera valued at $590, a laptop, $550, computer speakers, $11.43 and cables, $7.99 the afternoon of Jan. 10.

The maximum penalty is nine months in prison and a fine of $10,000.

The district attorney's office also filed two charges of bail jumping against her because a condition of her release on two other complaints was that she not break any laws.

The day after Stevenson is alleged to have stolen computer equipment from the West Allis district offices, she was arrested for retail theft at a Pick 'n Save in Cudahy. She also is charged with that offense plus two counts of bail jumping and was summoned to appear March 2.

That date also is when she is slated for pre-trial conferences on two charges of possession of cocaine and one of bail jumping, according to the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access. The cocaine charges were filed Nov. 26 and Dec. 28, 2017.